Bittersweet
by Faxton
Summary: At the time when the Marauders were attending Hogwarts everyone knew James liked Lily, he made it obvious; but when James's best friend runs into the redhead after a detention, what is it that Lily wants?
1. When First I Heard You

Disclaimer One: Harry Potter and all afflicted parts of the series belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros and all the publishers involved and what not. I am producing no money from this nor do the characters, settings, etc. belong to me.   


Disclaimer Two: The chapter titles are from a 'The Wishing Well' a song written and composed by Connie Dover. I am producing no money from this nor in anyway does it belong to me. 

A/n: Well, I haven't been writing for a while (I had this grand session of writer's block set almost permanently into my brain) but I'm back now, at least for the meantime. I never thought I would've written something that was about the Marauders when they were in Hogwarts, but after Snape's memory in OotP how could I resist? I fell absolutely in love with Sirius and he's almost up there with Blaise right now (who's being absolutely ridiculous because he refuses to let me write anything involving him!)

**Bittersweet**

Part I - When First I Heard You

Spring had finally come upon Hogwarts castle only a few days ago. The wind was warm and smelt fresh and pleasant; the lake glimmered from the new sunshine; and the sun itself gleamed with a new intensity that the winter months had kept hidden in the cold. 

For some reason the Gryffindor fifth years always found Fridays to be the most tedious day of the week. Maybe it was because it was the final day of classes before the weekend and it was a torment to sit through that, wanting the weekend to come around. Or perhaps, more likely, it was because the day's classes just weren't something anyone really wanted to sit through. History of Magic was right before lunch and it only the gates to Hell, the afternoon was ten times worse. Right after lunch was Transfiguration, taught by the Gryffindors future head of House, Professor McGonagall who was a relatively new teacher and although she was a good teacher she was a bit to pleased with the small bit of power she had. To top off them all, after a ten minute break that only served the point of taunting the students about the weekend's proximity, they had Defence Against the Dark Arts.

That was the class they were about to head into now.

Normally a good class, Defence Against the Dark Arts was taught by Professor Elliot, a middle-aged wizard who had a faint lisp that served as a good source of torments. He seemed to think that the fifth years weren't really fifth years at all and instead of teaching them fifth year material he taught them what they'd learned back in their second and third years. 

Professor Elliot flicked his wand at the blackboard behind him and instantly as he spoke words began to fly across the board. "Werewolfths," he started introducing the class to the creature they'd be studying for the next day or two, "are theriously dangerous creatures thhat all ss'ould be aware of ..." And he went on.

Sirius Black stopped listening as of that point, actually he'd probably stopped listening even before then. First off, Elliot made classes boring; Sirius had already covered werewolves back in his second year of schooling at Hogwarts. Secondly, he made a rather bad habit of running around with the creature once a month. He glanced over to Remus Lupin and grinned wildly, leaning his chair back so he balanced it on the back two legs. 

Crossing his arms over his chest, balancing the chair with no difficulty, Sirius let his eyes fall shut as the soft humming of the notes flying across the bored lulled him into a close state of sleep. 

"What was the point of sitting through that?" James Potter asked as Sirius made his way out of the Dark Arts classroom along with Remus, James and a fourth boy, Peter Pettigrew. "Did we not already know all that?"

As his dark black hair fell exquisitely into his eyes, Sirius smirked at his best friend and chuckled. "We have Moony here to thank for that." Sirius clapped Remus on the shoulder and the four sauntered a bit further down the hallway, before stopping.

James glanced over his shoulder and leant casually against the wall of the corridor, running his hand through his hair, purposefully messing it up even more, if that was even a possible task. For a brief moment he looked to his three friends, who had stopped a few feet ahead of him, and then looked back to the classroom door, resting the sole of hist foot against the wall as he watched a group of girls exit, chatting amongst themselves. He grinned audaciously.

"Evans," Sirius mumbled to Remus as the werewolf watched the girls as well, rolling his eyes and taking a better hold on the Dark Arts textbook he carried in his arm. The three shared a glance and then focussed their attention on the Gryffindor Seeker. 

"Hey Evans," James called to the group of girls, quickly approaching the area where he was leaning against the wall. They stopped chattering and looked to him the instant he had spoken. 

One girl, a redhead with bright emerald eyes, stepped a few paces away from the crowd, her eyes piercing like daggers through his flesh. "What do you want now, _Potter_?" her question was cold and agitated. 

Ignoring the harsh tone in her voice, he looked directly at her, a cocky smirk spread even to his eyes. "To go to Hogsmeade with you this weekend." It wasn't a question. Ever since the notice in Gryffindor Tower had announced that there was an upcoming Hogsmeade trip James had been planning on going with Lily Evans. 

The girl chuckled dryly and rest all her weight on one foot, putting her a hand to her hip. Sirius looked to Remus and the two shared a wry smile before returning their eyes to the scene James was making. Sirius noted the paltry look that was stretched across Lily's face as she looked to James with narrowed eyes, sighing irritably. 

"So, what do you say Lily? Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Fat chance Potter," she breathed out in an unpleased manner, flipping copper hair over her shoulder. "I wouldn't go with you if it were the last thing to keep me alive."

Despite the obvious rejection, James dropped his foot from the wall and grinned wider in hope. Sirius saw his hand search into his robes, knowing that James was running his fingers over the stolen Snitch that only he, asides from James, knew was in his possession. James was hoping to rub a little bit of luck off it. 

"Come on Evans," he asked sincerely, widening his eyes as a guilty puppy would. 

Lily removed her hand from her hip and rubbed her forehead. "When will you get it?"

"When you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend." It, again, wasn't a question. He never asked her, he more or less told her what he himself wanted to hear. 

Sirius looked to Lily just in time to see her eyes grow wide and darken with anger. Shaking his head, Sirius smirked beside himself at his best friend's persistence, even though he was horribly failing at persuading Lily to go on a date with him. Sirius had to wonder if James would ever win his way into her heart. 

"Potter how many times do I have to go over this with you? Honestly are you so thick that you don't get it?" She paused and glared at him, the friends behind her silent at the sounds of her coursing rage. "I don't - want - _anything -_ to do - with you? Got that?" Lily put force on every word, every syllable that left her mouth as she spoke her final sentence, then looking to the other girls she began to walk off. 

The Gryffindor females passed Sirius, Remus and Peter without a second glance, but James caught up, keeping stride with Lily, walking along next to her. The three other Marauders looked to each other and then followed behind, keeping in hearing range to see what James would attempt. 

"Why not Lily?" James asked, trying, in vain, to win her over. 

"Jesus, you are such a waste of my time," she huffed exasperately, not looking at him. 

"Come to Hogsmeade with me this weekend and I won't waste your time anymore ... not like this at least." With that James threw in a casual and suggestive wink, still keeping pace with the fuming redhead.

"GET A LIFE," she said loudly and clearly; Sirius watched several heads turn this way and that at the volume of her voice. He continued to watch as Lily walked off, turning into the girls' bathroom that was many several feet ahead of them, right before the staircase that led up to Gryffindor Tower.

Defeated, but not without his usual confidence, James returned to his friends, still grinning mysteriously. He stepped in next to Sirius with somewhat of a scheming look twinkling in his charcoal black eyes. Remus was hesitant at the look, Peter was smiling in admiration and Sirius wore a grin outmatching James's, just as plotting and even more deviant. 

"Better luck next time mate," Sirius encouraged as he wrapped an arm around James's shoulder. James shrugged as he readjusted the bag over his shoulders, still beaming.

"She's just playing hard to get, you wait and see ..." he trailed off and put his hand into his pocket, again fingering the small golden ball that lay within. He shook his fingers through his hair, messing it up more as he'd done earlier and turned to Remus, who was starting back toward Gryffindor Tower. "Where do you think you're going Moony?" he had an aristocratic way to his voice and he looked to Remus from the corner of his eye. 

"Commons," he said simply, pausing in his walk. "We have that Transfiguration test on Monday, I plan on passing it, thank you very much."

"What and I don't?" James looked to his friend with doubt. "You have the whole weekend. Are you really going to waste the first hours of your Friday night studying?" 

Remus looked as though he wanted to object, but Sirius jumped into the conversation, grabbing the back of Remus's robes and pulling him after the group. "Moony, lighten up," Sirius berated in an unserious tone, the flames from a nearby torch playing mischievously off the almost unseen pupils of his dark eyes. "You only live once you know," Sirius said, finishing his sentence. 

The four Marauders made their way out of the castle, heading to a beech tree by the lake, waiting for the day to finally come to an end and for the weekend to bless them with its existence. Sirius and James joked lightly, wishing to have some unfortunate passerby come near to have a little fun with. Peter followed the two like a lost puppy, squirming as he sat in the faintly dewy grass. Remus sat right next to the tree, leaning his back against and pulling a small piece of folded parchment from his bag, unfolding it and looking over same main ideas of this Transfiguration unit. 

"Moony, you are _such_ a Prefect," Sirius badgered, his fingers brushing a lock of raven hair over his forehead. 

"Really Padfoot? I wonder why." Never looking up from the Transfiguration notes, Remus ran his finger up to the silver badge pinned to the chest of his robes, hinting at Sirius that it was a stupid comment if he had ever heard one. 

Sirius merely grinned as he watched the prefect's actions, rolling his eyes up to the slowly pinking sky, the sun dropping tediously behind the forest to the other side of the lake. "When's the next full moon?" he asked absently, feeling the need for a bit of excitement.

"Next week," squeaked Peter, quickly and over-excitedly, his eyes darting about the school grounds, resting on James who lay on his back, watching the few clouds float overhead.

"When next week?" Sirius asked, wanting a bit more precision to Wormtail's answer.

Giving it no thought, already knowing the answer to Sirius's question Peter answered delighted as a child with a bag of sugar-full candy, "Thursday."

"Good, good," Sirius said with a hidden grin behind his lips, his eyes becoming narrow and almost demonic as life flared behind them, he bite gently at his bottom lip. 

"We'll have good times this month," James spoke up, still watching the pink and orange clouds from his back. "Eh, Moony?"

Trying to hide the grin on his face, Remus didn't look up from the notes in his hands, he simply nodded and grunted a 'yeah' at the others, but if it was one time he liked it was the full moon of ever month. But then again, all of them liked that time. It was like heaven on Earth.

  
  
  
  



	2. I Heard Sweetness

Part II - I Heard Sweetness

Early Saturday morning (or as early as one could possibly get for a Saturday morning) the four fifth year Gryffindor boys made their way down from Gryffindor Tower and to the Great Hall. After a lazy breakfast they checked their names off a list as the exited through the Entrance Hall and made their way down to Hogsmeade. As they joked innocently amongst themselves, Sirius registered every time James looked over his shoulder at the girls who weren't far behind. He'd reached fourteen by the time their feet had settled on Hogsmeade grounds.

Walking further into town, Remus and Sirius dashed into the Three Broomsticks, leaving Peter and James to wait for a few short minutes not far away from the pub. James grinned as he spotted the two returning, each carrying two bottles of butterbeer.

"Thanks mate," he said with another grin as he took the bottle Remus was holding out to him. He was the first to start the trek up the hill in the direction of the Shrieking Shack. 

Sirius leaned his elbows upon the rickety fence, looking up at the barred windows of the supposedly haunted houses. He shook his head and inwardly chuckled to himself at the thought; looking to his right he could see that the other three were all grinning as well. James, who was leaning with his back against the fence, staring down at the town from the hill, nodded his head in the direction of the hill's base. 

"Snivelly approaching," James said as he shoved the hand holding his butterbeer at Severus Snape who was walking near to the foot of the hill looking very concentrated on the shuffle of his feet. Sirius grinned devilishly as he bounded down the hill, following James like a dog after a bone. Peter followed as well, stumbling slightly and grinning in praise, while Remus took up the rear, grinning but doing the _least_ he could as Prefect and kept an eye open for any Professors. Well, that might be to keep himself and the others out of trouble, not something most other Prefects would do.

"Hey there Snivellus," James said standing right in front of the outcast Slytherin, blocking him from taking another step further. He took a final deep swig from his bottle and threw into a nearby garbage. Perfect aim. "How are you today? Greasy as ever, I see." James cast his beat black eyes over the stick skinny, greasy haired Slytherin. The other three chuckled.

From the corner of his eye, Sirius could see Snape's hand thrust inside his cloak, obviously in search of his wand. But Sirius was faster and just as Snape was about to withdraw his hand and wand, Sirius had stepped between him and James and had his own wand jabbing forcefully just below the hollow of Snape's neck. 

"You weren't _really_ thinking of hexing someone, were you Snivelly?" Sirius asked as he applied more force onto his wand, digging the tip even harder into Snape's chest. He would be leaving a small, circular purple bruise from the amount of pressure. 

Sirius watched Snape pull out his hand and drop it to his side, pulling the wand up into the sleeve of his robe. His grey eyes gleamed somewhat as he looked behind the Gryffindors.

"Mister Black, you don't have your wand on another student, do you?" 

Sirius dropped the tip of his wand from Snape's chest and turned about to face Professor Rahage, the long time Potionsmaster and Head of Slytherin House. 

"That'll be twenty points from Gryffindor," Rahage said with pleasure coming to his grey-blue eyes, "and detention tomorrow night at eight o'clock - no, make that Monday night; I believe Filch will have something for you by then. Do have fun Black."

"You're lucky this time Snape," Sirius turned dark black, angry eyes upon the Slytherin after Rahage had sauntered away. "Next time, don't count on it." 

Trudging away, Sirius brushed a few strands of black hair out of his eyes and dropped his empty bottle of butterbeer into the garbage as he passed. James, Remus and Peter followed suite closely behind. 

"Impressive wand action Padfoot," James said with a smirk and a glimmer in his eyes.

"Yea, real good," Peter said, wide-eyed, his head nodding rapidly and excitedly up and down.

Sirius merely glared ahead and shrugged off their congratulatory comments. He had a friggin' detention Monday night, with the caretaker no less. Filch'll have him scrubbing toilets for sure. Without magic. 

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The first day of the week, Monday, passed by slowly. Sirius hated the whole prospect of the evening he had ahead of him. It would've been a good day if Rahage hadn't already wrecked it for him. Dylan Botswane, a sixth year Ravenclaw, had made a complete fool of himself in Charms class when his Clamouring Spell his was attempting on his toad had somehow backfired on himself. Botswane had begun to loudly croak, much like his toad, in a very off-key rendition of 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful'. He still had yet to come back from the Hospital Wing. 

After that he had written easily the worst Transfiguration test in the history of Transfiguration tests. Generally he did fairly well at the class, it was definitely one of his better classes, but heaven forbid him to study over the weekend. The five minutes of studying he had done that morning at breakfast proved to be futile as he'd failed the test anyway.

"Just bring the mirror Padfoot," James whispered as the Gryffindors sat alongside the Hufflepuffs in the castle yard; Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher didn't have a practical lesson for the day so he was explaining to them their upcoming lesson plan. 

"Not with Filch mate," Sirius said in a grim undertone. "He'll be swooping right over me the whole time, and when he isn't he'll probably have that hellion of a cat watching me."

"No harm in trying," James shrugged as the pair received a glare sent their way by the Professor. James took notice of Kettleburn's annoyance of their chatter, but chose to ignore it. "Anyway, what's the bother - it's only another detention?"

"Mister Potter," Kettleburn said in an attempt to be stern tone, his voice was rather husky and coughed-up, "if there is one more word out of your mouth directed to Mister Black I can assure you there will be detention for a week. In the meantime, ten points from Gryffindor."

James rolled his eyes skyward, but chose, this time, to heed Kettleburn's warning as he couldn't risk detention this week, not with there being a full moon on Thursday. There was to be no way he was going to miss that because of a detention. 

After easily the most boring Care of Magical Creature lesson they had ever sat through, the four fifth year boys trekked up to the castle, all in a slightly better mood (well, asides from Sirius) because of the days end to classes. To put all into short terms because of the cloud of depression that had set itself upon Sirius since after the return from Hogsmeade on Saturday, he did not have a good day and his evening was looking only worse. 

  
  


"Moony's that Potions essay due this week?" James looked across the Gryffindor table at Remus who was reading from a textbook that was in one hand, his fork in the other. 

"Do you need to ask?" Remus returned the question not looking up from his reading. 

"I'm taking that as a yes?"

Remus nodded only just and shoved his fork into the lasagna that was sitting on his plate. James looked to his side at Sirius and was about to comment when a particular redhead was making her way down the aisle to behind him. With a grin, James kept his eyes on Lily Evans as Sirius looked over his shoulder to see what he was smiling at. Go figure.

"Evening Evans - "

"Don't start with me Potter," she lashed bitterly, not casting him a second - or a first - look. "I don't feel like putting up with your bullshit tonight." She walked on passed and sat with her friends a half dozen or so seats away. James's eyes had followed her and stayed on the place where she now sat. 

"If you ask me, she's just getting warmer and warmer with you James." 

James flashed his eyes from the redhead of his eye to his best friend; there was an interesting spark in the way they were narrowed angrily. "Didn't ask you though, did I?" he barked. 

"Tsk, tsk Prongs," Remus spoke up, still not looking from the pages he was reading, "no need to get so out of temper because of the lady."

Peter sniggered behind his hand as James turned his focus of attention from Sirius to Remus. "I don't think I asked for your input either."

"And does that really bother me?" Remus asked, finally lifting his eyes from the words, looking with a grin hidden behind the book. "I think if I really didn't want my input heard I wouldn't've said it."

"Yea?" James asked, raising an eyebrow and coursing a hand through his dishevelled hair. 

"Yes."

James shook his head and looked down to his plate, or at least that's what he seemed to be doing. Sirius watched him take out his wand and lift his head back to Remus. He muttered something and flicked his wand at Remus who shortly after received a faceful of ice-cold water. Peter's sniggers grew into a high-pitched chuckle as Remus wiped his face clear with a napkin.

"Thanks for that James."

"Anytime my friend," he said with a grin and a quirky look about his face; he ran his hand through his hair one more time, messing it up even more. Remus rolled his eyes and put the book away. 

"Good God," Sirius mumbled after looking at his wristwatch. 

"What?" 

"It's seven-twenty."

"Already?" Peter coughed as though he'd just choked on the food he was attempting to chew and swallow.

Sirius nodded hopelessly. "I got to drop some stuff off in Gryffindor Tower." Sirius rose and started to make his way out of the Great Hall, but the three boys were right on his tail.

"What? You think we'd let you leave without us?" James asked putting his hand to Sirius's shoulder. "Honestly mate, don't be so daft."

Forcing himself as he might have been, Sirius enjoyed the remaining cheerful thirty minutes of his Monday before heading to the caretaker's office to receive the duties he'd be doing for the evenings detention. He felt rather pissed off about the whole thing but had a great smirk on his face as he knocked at Filch's door. He'd show the caretaker he was enjoying the detention and not give him the satisfaction of giving a good detention. Didn't matter if it was a fake or not, it made the detention only that much better. 

Sirius spent a very grim three hours cleaning up Dungbombs and Stink Pellets that had been let off in the dungeons over the weekend. All without magic. Although he groaned all the while doing it, anytime Filch came by Sirius whistled joyously to himself as he cleaned the pranks. Amateurs. That's what they were. Witches and wizards who couldn't concoct their own pranks using their wands had to go out and by Joke Shop gags. Sirius shook his head. All it took were a couple of good charms and a few miscalculated hexes to leave a mess that would have Filch cleaning for hours and it was far worse than letting off Dungbombs. 

When he'd done a perfect job cleaning the mess left behind by the younger years, Sirius dragged to Filch's office where he dropped the bucket of dirt water on the floor. He had to wait there for a few minutes as Filch went to do his inspection of Sirius's job. 

Grumbling Filch returned and dismissed Sirius back to Gryffindor Tower. It was eleven-forty by the time he had gotten back to the portrait, well after curfew so when he saw a shadow looming in the hallway nearby he was rather shocked. 

"Black," a soft voice spoke and Sirius turned about to look into the darkness, wanting to know who was addressing him. A petite figure stepped forward from the dimly lit hallway, red hair tied into a knot on the back of her head. "I have a proposition for you," Lily bargained, her emerald green eyes played wildly amongst the shadows of the tower. 

Sirius lowered his brow at her, wondering what the hell she was up to. She held his dark eyes with her own had took a step in. "And what is that Evans?" Sirius tapped his foot impatiently on the stone floor. 

"Tomorrow night. Classroom," she paused thinking for a brief moment of time, "thirteen. Ten-thirty." 

His foot ceased to tap upon the floor but his black eyes grew confused as he pushed dark strands of hair across his forehead. "And why would I be going there?" he asked, questioning the girl's 'proposition'.

"Why wouldn't you Black?" Lily tucked a wisp of red hair behind her ear as her eyes surveyed him.

"How is this a proposition?"

"Won't you just have to find that out for yourself?" A smile flickered across her face. 

"And what if I don't go?"

Lily shrugged and took yet another step in toward Sirius. He swallowed hard. "As they say, curiosity kills the cat; what about you Black?" 

"Excuse me?" he choked, stopping her just as she was about to step into the common room through the portrait hole. She turned and looked over her shoulder at him.

"What is this twenty questions Black? I told you where to be tomorrow night; be there or don't. It's as simply as that." Lily disappeared into the portrait hole, but Sirius stood there a little longer. 

Was that a coincidence or did she know something she shouldn't? Sirius let his thoughts waver for a moment before returning to reality. She couldn't possibly know that he, James and Peter were Animagi, could she? They always took precautions. She couldn't know. It was all a coincidence; at least Sirius convinced himself that's what it was. Taking a deep breath he gave the portrait the password and entered the Gryffindor common room, plodding tiredly up to the fifth year boys' dormitory. 

  
  


A/n: :grins for no reason: I love Sirius, is he not the greatest character _ever_? Alright, asides from Blaise, but that's not the point. They're pretty much neck and neck for the top spot. I've got another plot bunny in my head :claps: Writer's block is gone! (For now, at least). 

Anyway, got to thank my lone reviewer - funki-mage - thanks a bundle and I too love Sirius :chuckles: he's just the best. 

  
  



	3. And I Turned Away

A/n: before I get started on part three I must clear up my little mistake. I had stated last part that Rahage was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but um, I already have a Dark Arts teacher as it says in part one (professor Elliot). So slip up on my part, oops :grins bashfully: Rahage is going to now be the Potionsmaster (I wanted to avoid that, but can you really see the Head of Slytherin House teaching something like Herbology or Muggle Studies? Sorry, I can't). So yes, Professor Rahage is the Potions teacher. Thanks - Lizi

Part III - And I Turned Away

Sirius struggled his way through Tuesday's classes. Presently he found himself in the back of the History of Magic classroom, straining to listen to the Professor jabber on about the dates and names of some age-old goblin upraising. History did tend to be on of his better classes, simply because of memorisation. Sirius was a bright lad with a keen memory that proved especially useful for recalling names and dates on history tests and examinations. 

Today, however, his mind simply wasn't in it. His head was propped on his hand, leaning his elbow into the surface of his desk. His mind was already in classroom thirteen and Sirius was killing himself over it. 

He watched James, sitting in the desk to the right of his, his quill scrolled unnoticing over the parchment as his eyes were focussed on the redhead who was intently _not_ listening to the lecture; although, she did a good job with her facade. 

Sirius's curiosity always did get the better of him. It was what had gotten him forbidden to leave the house for the whole summer between his second and third year - all because he wanted to know what his cousin was up to. It wasn't _his fault_ he'd been so noisy as to sneak out of the house at one in the morning, no it wasn't it; it was curiosity's. That was his only reason for yielding to Lily's 'proposition' to meeting her tonight. The thing keeping him back: James. Sirius wasn't sure if he wanted to run around behind his best friend's back and meet up with the girl of his dreams or not. Easily he could tell James and that would solve the whole problem, but something was stopping him from it. 

When the bell _finally _rang, telling the Gryffindors that class was over, they were all welcomed it happily, but Professor Binns shattered that happy welcoming rather quickly by ushering them all back into their seats. For three more minutes he floated lazily infront of them, finishing his lecture and assigning them a two roll essay due for next weeks class. Finally they were dismissed.

As Sirius, James and Remus crowded around Peter's desk, waiting for the mouse-haired boy to pick up his belongings, Lily caught Sirius's eye. Her emerald green eyes twinkled and her eyebrows raised in question as she made her way out of the classroom.

"Come on," Remus mumbled near to inaudibly at Peter. The smallest of the four only fumbled more; James shook his head impatiently. 

"Wormtail, let's go," barked Sirius as he readjusted the bag on his shoulders, making his way out of the history classroom. 

Not long after the four found themselves last to enter the dungeon classroom that served home to where they learned Potions. Last just before Professor Rahage who glared as he followed them into the room but could do nothing as they weren't late. 

"Have a good time last night Black?" Rahage hissed under his breath at Sirius.

"Oh yes, it was truly a grande old time," Sirius spoke clearly, taking his seat next to James. He sat up straight and proper, feigning respect for the Professor, a grin plastered on his face. James was shaking his head, sniggering behind the back of his hand. 

Rahage looked slightly hateful even though he knew the boy was putting on a show. His eyes scrutinized the class and the students for no longer than a couple seconds before he stepped around to the front of his desk. As he spoke to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students sitting in his classroom, Rahage paced back and forth between the middle aisle. He was giving them instructions on how to make a rather basic Strength Enhancing Potion (one that the hospital wing was running short on) and then gave them the class to prepare it. 

"Mate, pay attention to what you're doing," James scolded Sirius, working at the cauldron next to his. Sirius had been absently cutting away at the dragon spleen in front of him. Sirius shook himself back to reality and looked up to see Rahage standing over Peter. 

"Pettigrew what on Earth is this?" Rahage demanded as everyone looked up to him. Rahage had taken a ladle of Peter's potion and let the extremely thick mixture slop back into the cauldron. It wasn't a good sign.

"My, my potion sir," Peter's voice was weak and shaky. Sirius looked doubtfully to James. 

Rahage's voice was an amusing laugh and his eyes glittered with torture. "If that's what you'd like to believe Pettigrew, but you will not be handing that mess into me. Pack up, I want a two and a half foot essay about the potion."

Peter's hands were shaking as he put away the ingredients and cleaned up the potion. For the rest of the class he sat with his head hanging low, twiddling with his fingers under his desk. Rahage leered over the students with victory for the remaining half hour. 

"Peter," Lily approached him as the four boys were leaving the classroom at the day's end, "if you need help with that essay don't be afraid to ask." She'd always held a certain amount of pity for him. 

Peter nodded and James nudged Sirius in the ribs before glowing with a smile. "Say Evans, there's that History essay due for next week. Care to give me a hand?" 

Sirius shook his head at another meagre attempt of James's to date Lily Evans. 

Lily cast her green eyes to James with disbelief. "I think not Potter." She walked away with Paris Oberman, another fifth year Gryffindor and Lily's best mate. 

Both Remus and Sirius broke out into a laugh that they attempted to hide from James but it didn't work out so well. 

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When nine o'clock rolled around, Sirius had decided for certain that he wasn't going to go to classroom thirteen. But then again, nothing is for certain. He sat in the Gryffindor Common Room for another good half hour making it look as though he was doing his homework. A not so good job at it, but he was doing it at least. At nine-thirty, or there abouts, an hour before Lily Evans had told him to be there, Sirius made his way up to the seventh year boys' dormitory.

Sirius dumped his books and his bag into his trunk and waited by the end of his bed for a few minutes. And then a few more minutes. He was really acting stupid about the whole situation. In a split second decision he grabbed his bag again, slung it onto his shoulders and made a beeline exit out of the commons. If anyone asked: he was going down to the library. Late at night. Really bad excuse. It was the best he had. 

All the way down to the main corridor Sirius doubted his actions. He almost turned back twice, but never did; his curiosity was still controlling him. What was the other end of her 'proposition'? 

He was careful to stay to the side, in the shadows as he walked. He wasn't out after curfew yet, but Filch would be suspicious as to where he was going and he didn't want to run into that bloody cat of his either. When he came to classroom eleven he realized that these were least of his problems. Peeves was floating almost right before classroom thirteen. _Splendid_. 

For almost twenty-five minutes Sirius crouched behind a stone sculpture between the two rooms waiting for Peeves to go away. Peeves just floated there, in midair on his back as he sang aloud to himself. It was horribly off tune and was horribly aggravating Sirius. Would the damn ghost not carry on elsewhere? Checking his watch Sirius found out it was twenty after ten; this was madness. 

But finally, the poltergeist started to drift away. Sirius was thankful that it was in the other direction as to where he was positioned. Carefully and quietly, as to not catch Peeves' attention, he crept along the hall and slipped into classroom thirteen, gently shutting the door behind him after entering. 

"You're late Black."

Sirius spun around. Lily was across the classroom, leaning upon one of the desks; one hand was crossed over her stomach while the other was on her hip. The almost full moon cast a silver silhouette along her left side and played of her green eyes, illuminating them in the dark. 

"By a minute and a half," he threw back at her, strolling forward and dropping his bag on a desk nearby. He shook his head casually. 

"Still late."

He stopped several feet in front of her and pushed dark hair across his forehead. "You think I care all that much Evans? You're lucky I came at all."

Lily took a step forward from the desk and put her hand in a pocket. She pulled forth a small ball that glittered ever-so slightly from the moonlight that shone in threw the window. She twirled the ball in her fingers, all the while surveying him from overtop her eyelashes. "Don't play stupid Black, you wanted to come."

Sirius didn't watch her, instead he paid attention to the object in her hand; it had a familiar gold gleam to it. "Where did you get that?" Sirius demanded as she continued to twirl the ball he know recognized as the Snitch James had taken. 

An amused laugh came forth from her. "It doesn't matter."

He regarded her with black slanted eyes. "It's not your's," he said as she threw it into the air and caught it, all the while smirking irresistibly.

"It's as much mine as it is Potter's." 

Sirius took a deep angry breath and grit his teeth tightly. "Give it here Evans," he demanded, holding out his hand for her to place the Snitch in. She only laughed regally and shook her head, her red hair falling behind her shoulders. 

Lily threw the walnut-sized golden ball a foot into the air and caught in her palm. She looked at Sirius with wide eyes and held it forward between her thumb and index finger. "If you really want it Black, come and get it." He lunged forward with his already outstretched hand, but she pulled the Quidditch ball away. "It's all part of the deal."

"What deal?"

"Do you want the Snitch or not?" She held it out again for him to take, but Sirius only looked at it for a minute or two, knowing she'd pull away. 

Sighing heavily, Sirius waited to perhaps catch Lily off guard and take the Snitch back. He wasn't all that sure what she was playing at. Not yet at least. 

"Oh come off it Sirius," she said, sounding somewhat bored and unentertained. "Do you not want it back?"

Angrily Sirius jumped forward, his fingers encircling the golden ball in her grip. Just as he did so Lily took a step or two forward herself and Sirius found that his attention was diverted away from the Snitch and onto this knew aspect - the fact that her lips were now over his. 

"Congrats Black," she said, pulling away from kissing him and putting a hand to his neck, she still held her grip of the little ball. She pulled him in closer to her, grinning and kissing him again. 

Sirius put one hand to her waist, forgetting for the time being that this was the love of his best friend's life; his other hand still held onto the Snitch. He hadn't asked for this, hadn't planned on this (when obviously she had) but he couldn't help himself indulging in her. 

Releasing his hand from the Snitch, returning it to Evans possession, Sirius snaked his other hand around to the small of her back, forcing her body even closer to his. As his tongue parted her lips, flickering over her's, she returned the stolen Snitch to her pocket, stepping backward and forcing Sirius to walk with her. 

Lily stopped when the back of her knees hit the desk she'd early been leaning on; she could walk no more. Sirius put his hands to her waist, lifting her so she sat on the desk. Instantly her legs wrapped around his, pulling him two steps closer. 

As he continued to kiss her, to taste her, Sirius completely lost sight of James. If he had been thinking he would've known what he was doing was wrong and he wouldn't be stabbing his best mate in the back as he was doing so now, but Evans was making it hard to resist. He completely lost every sense of mind in that classroom with her; _every sense_. 

Parting his lips, Lily took a deep breath and a charismatic grin swept across her sweet face. She removed one of her hands from behind his neck and placed the other on his cheek. For a moment she fished her hand into her pocket and then withdrew the tiny Snitch. Her green eyes broke contact with his black eyes as she looked to the ball resting in the palm of her hand. 

"I told you this was all part of the deal Sirius," she whispered quietly, returning her attention back to his features. 

Sirius cocked his eyebrows and looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean? What deal?"

"Come now Black, curiosity would only get you here one night; after you knew what was going on how would you come back the next?" Like an answer Lily tossed the ball in the air and caught it between two fingers, holding it up to his eye level. Sirius made another dodge at it, pulling his arms from around her waist, but he missed as she tucked into her pocket, tutting at him. 

"Evans," he growled angrily. 

"Tomorrow Black," she said with a quirky little smirk. "You'll get James's precious Snitch tomorrow. Same time, same place." Having said the final lines of her little proposition she flashed her eyes at him, grinned and winked before slipping from the empty classroom and no doubt returning to the Gryffindor common room.

Sirius seethed angrily, shaking his head at the way he was being played. _Damn that Lily Evans_, he thought to himself. On one hand he felt deep guilt because of James, on the other he felt sheer anger at her "deal" and if Sirius had a third hand he would feel utter, and forbidden, lust. He picked his bag up on the way out and quickly dodged to the Tower, avoiding any noise and any sight of teachers of Filch. 

  


A/n: This was originally going to be a rather short story - only four chapters because there were four lines of the song I wanted to use, but now I'm thinking of expanding it because there's another four lines of the song I could use. All my other plot bunnies are acting stupid anyway, so I shall see ... although I do have a little PotC plot bunny going on ... :grins:

Have you all seen _Pirates of the Caribbean_? If you haven't - go, if you have - wasn't it amazing? Seen it twice so far, going a third time this weekend :grins: Mate, Captain Jack Sparrow is so good looking. Not one to swoon over movie characters (save Malfoy) but watching Jack Sparrow is better than eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and reading OotP with my cat. Great movie. Go see it ... savvy? :giggles insanely: 

Anyway .... thank yous!

I Give It All to Mr. Black - thank you :grins:

lelegurl9 - know what Lily wants now? :chuckles: how can anyone _not_ want that? 

funki-mage - I just reread PoA and how I understand it they were finally able to become Animagi in their fifth year. But I could be wrong also. Anyway, thanks again! :grins:

ariahni - do I need to say anything? Well, thanks a bundle. Great layout by the way. And yes I know you like Moony more, but I don't so :sticks tongue out: there you go. :grins innocently: Pirates of the Caribbean! Need I say more? Everyone should see this movie. Want to go again? :chuckles: If you don't Chelsea has to see it for a first time. 

InuSamie - thanks a bunch!

Linxis Rose - thank you too ... why are plot bunnies always evil and seem to fail me? :chuckles: If you can answer that you've answered all of life's problems. 

Selence-chan - thank you :grins: you're such a big support: thank you SO MUCH! 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. For Fear Of My Weakness

Part IV - For Fear of My Weakness

Sirius stayed awake for many hours of the night, shielded in his four-poster bed by ruby coloured hangings. He sighed deeply and listened to the familiar noises of his three friends sleeping soundly about the dormitory. Hearing the deep, sleepy breathing of James in the bed next to his, Sirius hung his head in his hands, gripping tightly onto the hair at the back of his head. 

He was furious with Lily Evans for what happened down in the empty classroom not that many hours ago. He didn't blame her completely for it, because he had to admit he'd been the bastard to fall into her trap, but hexing her until her end of days did sound fairly good right about now. Evans was such a prat, he'd fallen right into her obviously thought-out plan and he hated it. Not only did he hate this and just about everything else that was going through him including the guilt he held toward James, but he also hated one thing that felt forbidden to be within him. 

_Passion._

Perhaps it wasn't passion, perhaps it was lust, but there was something that made the guilt in his stomach surge to new found levels. He bit down unconsciously on his bottom lip and didn't release until he actually felt the physical pain of his teeth breaking the skin and the taste of his blood's iron on the tip of his tongue. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Immediately he pulled them open again; he'd been doing it all night - forcing his eyes to stay open, even with the threat of sleep creeping up over him. He hated what he saw every time his eyes closed. The silhouette of Evans in the classroom, the mischievous gleam to her jade eyes, the grin that pulled at her mouth, the Snitch glittering inbetween her fingers, her lips being brought down onto his. Sirius jolted and his breathing raced as he attempted to clear the thoughts from his mind. He had to get Lily out of his system - he had no other options and he didn't want any others. He wouldn't do that to James. 

  
  


"Padfoot!" a voice barked, clearly and loudly, disturbing Sirius's state of sleep. "Get your lazy ass out of bed, classes start in twenty minutes."

Sirius threw his arm over his eyes as the curtains about his bed were pulled back and the rosy-gold rays of early morning sunshine poured over him. Slowly he pulled his arm away and glared at his best mate; James grinned and threw clothing at Sirius before leaving the dormitory. 

A quick two minutes later Sirius found himself bounding out the portrait hole, following James, as he adjusted the tie that, for the moment, hung lazily around his neck. 

"Let's go mate," James rushed in attempts to make Sirius quicken his pace, but it was to very little avail. "I'm not going to be late to class because you wanted to sleep in."

"No one asked you to wait around," Sirius growled, his eyes growing black as night as he felt the effects of sleep deprivation, hunger, quilt and a little something else rise in his senses. The two boys dodged out the front doors and down the steps toward the greenhouses. They were glad to see that as they arrived to stand with the rest of the class, Professor Sprout was just beginning to make her way over to them. Sirius and James sighed as Peter and Remus shook their heads and rolled their eyes at the pair. 

"Black," Evans said in a quiet tone as Professor Sprout began her lecture to the students. Her green eyes flickered over to him, containing the look of enmity that she normally reserved him. The only thing that might have given her away from her usual act was the smile trying to pull at her lips, but Sirius doubted if anyone noticed, or if anyone cared. 

He didn't say anything to her, merely gave a harsh glare, narrowing his charcoal eyes at her in a dangerous fashion. Raising a hand to his mouth, he covered an exaggerated yawn and became the receiving end of a jab in the ribs; his glare turned from Evans to James standing next to him.

"Save the sleep for Divination mate," James said with a light chuckle, grinning widely. 

Sirius shook his head and watched as James's hand went into his pocket in search of the Snitch that, until recently, was always there. _The Snitch_. His eyes widened just as James's darkened, wondering where the small ball was. Everything in Sirius's brain locked as all thought returned to last night, returned to the Snitch that only he knew was there and returned to Lily Evans. 

Daring a look over his shoulder, Sirius watched Lily grin, meaning it for him, but not looking directly at him. She, as James had just done, thrust her hand into a pocket and Sirius knew her fingers were coursing over the smooth surface of the Snitch. 

Professor Sprout still babbled on about whatever plant she was talking about and most students were hurriedly taking notes or at least paying attention; Sirius Black wouldn't have even been able to tell you what the plant today's lesson was named. His mind was stuck on his present day situation. 

Before finally succumbing to sleep last night he had assured himself that he _would not_ be going back to room thirteen, James would just have to forget about that Snitch and do without. But now that he was thinking about it, and had seen the look on James's face, he was beginning to think otherwise. James _needed_ that Snitch - damn superstitious git. Gryffindor played Hufflepuff in an extremely important game not this weekend but the next. This game would either keep Gryffindor neck-to-neck with Ravenclaw or pull them far into the lead, all depending on the point differentials. If James didn't have the Snitch he might just be in a slump and end up losing an easy-to-win game; Sirius needed to get him that lucky charm. Damn Evans, she had this whole situation wrapped perfectly around her finger. 

The realisation that he was going back to that classroom tonight set Sirius in a bad mood for the rest of the day. He was mad with Evans, mad with himself, even mad with James for losing that Snitch to the girl. As the class returned to the castle from Herbology, Sirius scowled, his eyes dark and narrow, and his brow lowered. 

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"What's the problem with you?" Peter's squeaky little voice spoke over the table and Sirius thought it was pure luck that he had been able to hear the question through the lunchtime squabble going on in the Great Hall.

James, who was still miffed at where his Snitch was, but was for the time assuming it to be upstairs in the dormitory, looked up from his food and grinned at Sirius. "Padfoot's a little upset because he had some sleeping problems last night." And here he took a lengthy pause, his grin vanishing and his eyes growing stern. "Mate, if you don't cheer up I'll bloody kill you myself."

Black eyes shot across the table and a low growl came from Sirius's throat. The grip he had on the fork was tighter than it should've been, his hand trembling with the pressure, and his eyes didn't blink as they held contact with James's.

"Sirius, relax," Remus spoke, putting a hand lightly on Sirius's shoulder. Slowly, after taking a deep breath, Sirius turned his head to look at the only Prefect of the lot and hid away his outrage for the time being; if only to please his three friends and hide the truth from them. "What happened to you last night?"

He'd avoided them and their questions about his whereabouts then and he wasn't about to start dishing out explanations to them now. He shrugged. "Nothing," he grumbled, doing a lousy job of hiding away his rage; he looked down to his empty plate, avoiding their wondering eyes. 

_Give it a rest_, he told himself with another deep breath. _You can't let them know about last night, it'd kill James. You're doing the shits of a job covering yourself mate._

Sirius put on a fake smile and looked first to Remus and then across the table to James and Peter. "Nothing happened guys, honest." He chuckled lightly, taking a deep drink from his goblet. "Honest," he repeated in a phony, but convincing way. He looked to James, exchanged a knowing look with his best mate and chuckled once again. 

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"Now this is the class you can sleep in."

The four Gryffindors were making their way to the day's last class as James joked with Sirius. For the meantime it seemed as though James had put the Snitch from his mind and Sirius was thankful for it. 

"And I will be," Sirius declared proudly, sharply nodding his head. "Any of you dares to wake me I'll throw every curse I know at you." Sirius pointed a long index finger at his three friends, his eyebrows raised in accusation. 

"Wouldn't do that Sirius, no," Peter's voice was rapid and shaky, his beady eyes racing anxiously about Sirius's face. The threats Sirius threw out, no matter if he was obviously joking or not, always made Peter nervous. "No, wouldn't do that," Peter said, reinforcing himself. 

The boys approached the landing to find the rope ladder already dropped and they all scampered up it on at a time to enter the misty Divination classroom. James let out a clearly fake and exaggerated cough upon entrance as though he were suffocating on the thick air of the room.

"Shut up Potter," Evans muttered from where she sat with Paris Oberman at a table close to the room's front. 

James looked to the redheaded girl who was glaring darkly at him and cast a grin down upon her. He winked in an all suggestive manner and proceeded to the round table where the four Marauders normally sat. 

  
  


"Mister Potter," Trewlaney's voice said only twenty minutes later. Her voice still held that singsong airiness to it, but was strict in it's own unnatural way. "What do you see being foretold in that star chart you've just drawn?" She stood behind James and looked over his shoulder at the all but factual star chart.

James moved his eyes from the Divination professor's own bug-like eyes to his paper and smirked. She'd known he'd not been paying attention to her lecture thus the reason for turning and praying on him. James shared a smirk with Sirius and cleared his throat.

"Well, I see - a lot of pain and agony. There's some dreadful tears and bloodshed on the way all because of Mars and I do believe that there will be a most alarming death in the very near future."

Sirius, Remus and Peter all laughed behind the backs of their hands, as did most of the rest of the class. Trewlaney peered down at the paper, still from over the bullshitting boy's shoulder, and put her hand to her chin in wonder and possibly in amazement.

"Hm, I daresay you are nearly bang on Potter, except there shall be no death, only an eternal slumber. Nevertheless I'll ask you four to pay attention more closely next time or you shall find yourselves all seated elsewhere."

She donned a merry smile and walked over to where Evans and Oberman were studying their own charts, her bangles and beads tinkering as she went.

  
  


"Death ... Eternal slumber ... What in Merlin's name is the difference!?"

"One sounds better than the other?" Sirius offered James as they descended from the ladder and made their way along the hallway.

"Damn star charts," James said, shaking his head and the Gryffindors soon found themselves welcoming the day's end in the Great Hall for supper. 

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Sirius left the common room at quarter passed the hour, determined to go to the classroom, get the Snitch from Evans and leave. There would be nothing else happening in that classroom tonight. _Nothing_. Sirius guaranteed himself of that matter.

As he edged through the hallways, down the staircase and around the suits of armour, Sirius paced his breathing in order to stay calm. He reassured himself over and over that nothing would be happening tonight between he and Evans - there would be no replay of last night's events.

However, no matter how many times he told himself this and no matter how hard he tried to push away that lust, that _passion_, it just didn't seem to leave entirely. Instead of ebbing away, that feeling he had last night bubbled just below his skin, waiting ... 

He sighed as he glanced up and down the corridor, standing just in front of that godforsaken classroom. Satisfied that there was nobody around, Sirius slowly pushed the door open and walked in. He took only one, maybe two steps at the most into the room and then quietly eased the door closed behind him.

  
  


A/n: Obviously, if you couldn't tell, this story is incomplete which means I am doing another four chapters. Though you must give me time because although I do know the song I'm using for the chapters, I have to figure the exact plot out so that it doesn't become one of those never-to-be-completed stories :glares at those stories: Linkin Park is my saving grace :grins: 

Part V - I'll Paint It On The Walls - should hopefully be up before the second or third week of September. We'll see what with school and all. I really want to complete this story though. :looks hopeful: 

-thank you's-

Linxis Rose - merci beaucoup and hell yea bunnies are evil. They try to act all cute and cuddly, but my cat could eat them for a meal. :glares and then chuckles: thanks a bunch love

selene-chan - :blushes: ah, thanks mate. Actually, I'm playing off your review a little because I liked the thought of people being angry with Lily and Sirius. Thanks for that!

BadAddy - being bribed to write, hm ... :chuckles: ... well, I hope you've seen **pirates**. Johnny Depp is SO attractive :melts into puddle at thought: thanks

Neni Potter - thanks a bunch love

Lucille - trying to be different at least, that's the attempts. :grins: thanks a bundle. 

Ta mates, until next time - Lizi

  
  



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